


Piranharecho

by segerge



Series: TASK FORCE [14]
Category: HERO Champions
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-23
Updated: 2015-10-23
Packaged: 2018-04-27 16:10:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5055238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/segerge/pseuds/segerge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(May 1988) The Dallas-Fort Worth area discovers the hideous consequences of mixing genetic engineering with meteorology.</p><p>Special Guest Villain: Dr. Matthew Fuseli as Biomaster.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Piranharecho

**Author's Note:**

> **warnings** : art major biology, real world meteorology, two gruesome deaths on camera
> 
> * * *
> 
> #### DRAMATIS PERSONAE
> 
> **Task Force (Dallas-Fort Worth supergroup)**
> 
>   * Ted Jameson (AKA Ranger), CEO of ProStar, speedster and team leader
>   * Julie Dormyer (AKA Ladyhawk), Chairman of the Board of Directors for ProStar, ninja with latent powers of temporal visualization
>   * Dr. Bob Hawkins (AKA Starforce), Senior Research Scientist for ProStar, power-armor wearer/gadgeteer
>   * Rev. Kent Christiansen (AKA Spiritual Warrior), Associate Pastor of Carrolton Park Church, mage with a holy sword
>   * Frederick 'Bowser' Bastable (AKA Mr. Bassman), jazz artist and mutant sonic projector
>   * Zes'arou Al'Gari Vikon (AKA Sage), exiled Varanyi psionic
>   * Jack Snyder (AKA Minuteman), independent trucker, brick with stretching powers
> 

> 
> **villains**
> 
>   * Dr. Matthew Fuseli (AKA Biomaster), master supervillain with powers of neurokinetic manipulation, master geneticist.
>   * Arkady Dzerhavin (AKA Disinformer), rogue KGB spy.
>   * Anatoliy, Alexei, Pavel, KGB agents on assignment in the DFW Metroplex
> 

> 
> **others**
> 
>   * Aida Lerner (AKA Ha'Pele), psionic MOSSAD agent
>   * Shina Arikawa, butler/chauffer/bodyguard for Julie Dormyer (her 'Alfred')
>   * Sergei Varinnikov, Captain, Red Army, Military Liaison Officer for the Soviet Union's official superteam 'The Supreme Soviets'
>   * Andy Marcino, field reporter for WFAA-TV, Dallas, TX
> 

> 
> **AUTHOR'S NOTE 1** : Telepathy is denoted by (( )), internal monologue by [[ ]], Russian by « »
> 
>  **AUTHOR'S NOTE 2** : Keep in mind that Aida Lerner is 19 years old in this episode and has been a MOSSAD agent since she was 16

(O'Hare International Airport, Chicago IL.)

(An American Airlines 767 is boarding for a flight to Dallas-Fort Worth. Bob 'Starforce' Hawkins has already taken the window seat and is braced for yet another flight back home. A young, atheletic-looking, and sharp-faced girl with dark hair stops at his row)

 **Girl** : "Hi! Are these seats taken?"

 **Starforce** : "No, go ahead."

(the girl adds her carry-on to the overhead bin and sits down next to Bob. 'Bounces down' may be a more correct description)

 **Girl** (offers hand): "I'm Aida, by the way."

 **Starforce** (shakes hand): "I'm Bob. Pleased to meet you." (beat) "I'm having trouble placing the name and accent."

 **Ha'Pele** : "I'm Israeli. I'm visiting some friends in the Dallas area for a couple of days."

 **Starforce** : "Cool."

 **Ha'Pele** : "Are you from Dallas?"

 **Starforce** : "Not originally, but it's my home now."

 **Ha'Pele** : "So you were in Chicago for business, then?"

 **Starforce** : "I just got done with a big particle physics conference at Fermilab. Boring, geeky stuff that can't be translated into any known dialect of English."

 **Ha'Pele** (laughing): "Fermilab, huh? Is it true there are buffalo grazing on the grounds there?"

 **Starforce** : "Saw a few myself. And no, they are NOT mutated by repeated exposure to the accelerator."

(Aida laughs again, then suddenly yawns)

 **Ha'Pele** : "Sorry, jet lag. I've been travelling for over a day according to my internal clock."

 **Starforce** : "I think I saw some pillows up in the overhead bin..."

 **Ha'Pele** : "Won't need them."

(she flips the chair arm between their seats up and snuggles up against Bob)

 **Starforce** (beat): "I'm not complaining, but I wasn't aware Israeli women were so... forward."

 **Ha'Pele** : "You smell nice and you're not hitting on me. Good behavior must be rewarded."

 **Starforce** : "Okay..."

 **Ha'Pele** : ((It also makes it easier to talk in private))

(Bob's eyes widen. Suddenly, they are in the O club at RAF Woodbridge, circa 1944)

 **Ha'Pele** : "You don't mind if we talk here? It makes mental conversation SO much easier."

 **Starforce** (crossly): "This is wrong on so many levels, Aida..."

 **Ha'Pele** : "But it seemed to be a pleasant memory for you! You fell in love here..."

 **Starforce** (interrupting): "With a Frankenstein construct born of improvisation and psionic surgery."

 **Ha'Pele** : "You know, I ALMOST believe you when you phrase it like that."

(Suddenly, they are in his lab at ProStar)

 **Starforce** : "Much better. Thank you."

 **Ha'Pele** : "For someone you believe to be out of your league, you think of Julie Dormyer quite a bit."

 **Starforce** : "I'm pretty sure MOSSAD is not paying you to psychoanalyze my love life. Or lack of it thereof."

 **Ha'Pele** (beat): "How did you know?" /* a godawful Deduction roll? */

 **Starforce** : "Other than by tricking you to admit it to me right now?" (beat) "The most recent PRIMUS Superhuman Survey reported that Menton came in second-best against an Israeli psionic last year. Said psionic was female and working with a MOSSAD special ops team."

 **Ha'Pele** : "Your profile never mentioned you kept track of supervillain threats."

 **Starforce** : "MOSSAD has a profile on me?"

 **Ha'Pele** : "We keep one all all metahumans, good and evil, just like PRIMUS does. We don't publicize ours, mostly to preserve how we... acquire the information."

 **Starforce** : "So you WERE intending to bump into me?"

 **Ha'Pele** : "I was intending to arrange a meeting with all of TASK FORCE once I arrived over a matter of, shall we say, mutual concern for both of our organizations." (beat) "Encountering you while transferring at O'Hare was a fortunate coincidence."

 **Starforce** : "I'm sensing a tale epic in the telling here."

 **Ha'Pele** : "It started with the two VIPER covert agents I sent to Airport Security to report themselves. Were you aware they were tailing you?"

 **Starforce** : "I am now. Thank you."

 **Ha'Pele** : "You're welcome. So naturally I got curious about this Dr. Hawkins they were following, and when I found you I was intrigued by your high natural mental defenses."

 **Starforce** : "They've been mentioned once or twice before..."

 **Ha'Pele** : "I've only encountered natural defenses that high in a non-psionic once, and that was Doctor Destroyer. Anyway, a little further digging revealed what you do when you're not working with ProStar, so I thought I'd accelerate my timetable a little bit."

 **Starforce** : "I *should* be upset, but..." (beat) "If you don't mind sharing a ride with me back from the airport, I can arrange a meeting this afternoon."

 **Ha'Pele** : "I'd love that."

(Suddenly, they're back on the plane. Awkward pause, with Aida still snuggled up against Bob)

 **Starforce** : "I thought we were done."

 **Ha'Pele** : "Silly geek. I really AM jet-lagged." (beat) ((and you still smell nice))

(beat, then Bob leans against Aida and puts a hand over hers on his arm)

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[well, I've been on FAR worse flights back home]]

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor, Lakewood Village, TX. That afternoon.)

(Bowser's and Kent's cars are already there as Bob's Corvette pulls up. Bob helps Aida out)

 **Starforce** : "I can drop you off at a hotel later, after the meeting."

(Julie 'Ladyhawk' Dormyer comes out of the front entrance, still wearing her workout gi)

 **Ladyhawk** (looking at Aida): "Hey, Nerd-boy! Don't they have the phrase '15 will get you 20' up in Indiana?"

 **Starforce** : "Are you going to be like this all through the meeting?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "I will NOT tolerate you parading your sexual conquests through *my* house!"

 **Ha'Pele** (to Julie, eyes flaring a pupilless blue): "Shut up."

(Julie suddenly is incapable of speaking)

 **Ha'Pele** (to Bob, indicating Julie): "Her? You're kidding me!"

 **Starforce** : "Welcome to my world."

 **Ha'Pele** (to Bob): "I pity you." (to Julie) "Since you must know, we never got that far. He's been a perfect gentleman to me."

(Ted's car comes up the driveway)

 **Ha'Pele** (to Bob): "Conquests? Plural?"

 **Starforce** : "There was only one, and it was a moment of weakness on both our parts."

(Ted 'Ranger' Jameson has walked up from his car)

 **Ranger** (to Bob): "Who's your guest?"

 **Starforce** : "The reason I asked for a team meeting."

 **Ha'Pele** (offers hand): "Aida Lerner, MOSSAD. I need to speak with TASK FORCE."

(Ted takes her hand and freezes)

 **Starforce** (to Julie): "Is it me or are you getting an incredible sensation of deja vu as well?"

(Julie gestures angrily)

 **Ha'Pele** (to Bob, indicating Ted): ((Is this how he usually behaves?))

 **Starforce** : ((No, but it IS traditional for how opposite sexes greet each other on our team for the first time.))

 **Ha'Pele** : ((You have a bizarre sense of humor)) (verbally to Ted) "Excuse me, I didn't catch your name."

 **Ranger** (startled): "I'm Ranger. I'm the team leader."

 **Ha'Pele** (releases Ted's hand): "A pleasure meeting you. Perhaps we could continue the meeting inside? It's humid out here."

 **Ranger** : "Sure!"

(Ted, Aida, Bob, and Julie enter the house. As they head for the dining room, Julie tugs on Bob's sleeve and pantomimes her throat and Aida)

 **Starforce** : "I'm sorry, I don't speak non-verbal."

(Julie hits Bob and points at Aida. She looks angry)

 **Starforce** : "Perhaps if you phrased it in the form of a game of Charades?"

(Julie's eyes widen in disbelief. They enter the dining room, where Kent, Bowser, and Vikon are already waiting)

 **Ranger** : "Bob, what's wrong with Julie?"

 **Starforce** (pulling a chair out for Aida): "I think the cat's got her tongue."

 **Ha'Pele** (sitting down): "Ms. Dormyer accused me of being Dr. Hawkins' latest sexual conquest. I took exception to that."

 **Starforce** (sitting down, not so _sotto voce_ ): "You bring home ONE female from the Andromeda galaxy, you get tarred for life..." /* "The Paradox of Doctor Destroyer" */

 **Ha'Pele** : "NEBULA?" (beat, looking at Bob) "Now I'm impressed..."

 **Ranger** : "Ms. Lerner, our team meeting will go smoother if Julie can speak."

(Aida sighs, looks at Julie, and her eyes flare a pupilless blue)

 **Ladyhawk** (gasping, to Bob): "I HATE you."

 **Starforce** : "For the record, I liked you better mute."

(Ranger clears his throat loudly before Bob and Julie can start arguing)

 **Ranger** : "Ms. Lerner, you wanted to meet with TASK FORCE. We're here. What do you want?"

 **Ha'Pele** (grabbing a picture out of her briefing folder): "You are familiar with... HIM?"

(she puts a picture of Biomaster out on the table. Everyone reacts)

 **Ranger** : "What has Biomaster done to attract MOSSAD's attention?"

 **Ha'Pele** : "He is looking to sell a chemical which induces temporary superpowers into normal humans."

 **Starforce** : "WHAT?"

 **Ha'Pele** : "And certain factions of the Palestinian Liberation Organization have expressed interest in this chemical." (beat) "MOSSAD's concern should be somewhat understandable, given that fact."

 **Ranger** : "That should go without saying."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Aida): "Do you know when the deal is supposed to go down?"

 **Ha'Pele** : "I expect it to go down in the next day or two." (beat) "You should also be aware that MOSSAD expects a rogue KGB operative to be active during this transaction."

 **Ranger** : "Which one?"

 **Ha'Pele** (impressed): "Arkady Dzerhavin. I believe his western code-name is 'Disinformer'."

 **Ranger** : "Oh, great."

 **Ladyhawk** : "He has powers?"

 **Starforce** : "Psionic powers, coupled with mental instability."

 **Ha'Pele** : "He has the ability to make you see what he wants you to see." (beat) "An ability made all the more dangerous because he has forgotten who he really is after all these years."

 **Ranger** : "Can we expect any Soviet teams to be operating to bring Disinformer in?"

 **Ha'Pele** : "To the best of my knowledge, no."

 **Ranger** : "That's a relief." (beat) "Who's going to be here in the next two days? I have reasons for asking that."

 **Mr. Bassman** : "I have to leave for LA first thing tomorrow morning for a studio session. The label's not going to look too kindly on me bailing out at the last second."

(beat)

 **Ha'Pele** : "Anyone else on your team not going to be available?"

 **Ranger** : "I expect to be hip-deep in negotiating the propulsion contract for Southwest Research Institute's asteroid probe. We're at a very delicate phase right now and I can't afford to be absent from it." (beat, looks at Julie) "You always wanted to plan and lead a mission? Here's your chance."

 **Ladyhawk** (deep breath, eyes wide): "Ooookay, then."

 **Ranger** (looking at Bob): "And there will be NO problems with that."

 **Starforce** : "Understood."

* * *

**/* note** : from the time hack in this scene, this episode starts on 5/5/1988. It's a Thursday */

(Stately Dormyer Manor. Evening)

(Bob and Aida are in the garage, which has been cleared of cars. Bob is wearing a new version of the Starforce battlesuit)

 **Starforce** (aiming at a target set up at the far end): "Goggles please, Aida. I'm about to boresight my new force beams."

 **Ha'Pele** : "Why? You're not aiming at me."

 **Starforce** : "Because in my lab I *always* practice safe calibration."

 **Ha'Pele** (putting her goggles on): "It's actually because your stepfather made you before he would let you play on his forge."

(Julie enters the garage, holding a hanger with a reasonable facsimile of the Starforce battlesuit)

 **Ladyhawk** (holding up the hanger): "Are you quitting again?"

 **Starforce** : "No. That's for you."

(this stops Julie in her tracks before she can hurl another insult)

 **Ladyhawk** : "What?"

 **Starforce** : "I had the fabbers in my private lab build that while I was at Fermilab this week."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Oh." (beat, looking the suit over) "You probably got the measurements wrong for it, anyway."

 **Starforce** : "Shouldn't have."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Do I WANT to know how you got them?"

 **Starforce** : "Shina told me. Since that doesn't give you an excuse to get angry with me, let's just go with me equipping Merlyn with spycams one of the times he got out of the Guest Apartment. I then used the footage to prepare three-dimensional computer models of your body." (beat) "You always used to tell me to take a picture because it would last longer, didn't you?"

 **Ha'Pele** : "If it helps, I can make you believe he's telling the truth about using his cat."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Aida): "Stay out of my head." (to Bob) "Why now?"

 **Starforce** : "Your birthday is today, isn't it?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Yes."

 **Starforce** : "There you go. Happy birthday."

(Julie looks at him in shock)

 **Ha'Pele** (to Julie): "Look on the bright side. He could have given you concealer like he did last year claiming it would improve your ninja skills."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Aida): "Stop it."

(Bob snorts, smiling at the memory)

 **Ladyhawk** (to Bob): "DON'T. Start."

 **Starforce** (beat, indicates Julie's suit): "I had the extra material left over from rebuilding my suit over the winter."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Which you wouldn't have needed to do if you hadn't tried killing yourself to defeat Takofanes last summer." /* 'Heart of Darkness' */

 **Starforce** : "It was getting old and obsolete. I was going to rebuild it anyway even before that happened."

(Julie rubs her hand over her suit)

 **Ladyhawk** : "This feels different."

 **Starforce** : "I'm using new materials. There's a group down at Rice University in Houston that's been doing some really cool research into hypercomplex carbon molecules called fullerenes for the past 3 years. I've been playing around with their work since last fall."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Since when have you cared about materials science?"

 **Starforce** : "Since my stepdad taught me how to be a blacksmith as a child." /* Professional Skill: Blacksmith 11- */

 **Ladyhawk** (beat): "Oh."

 **Ha'Pele** : "You know, if you wouldn't be so angry at him all the time he probably would have told you that years ago."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Aida): "Shut up."

 **Starforce** (pulling up an old bar stool and sitting down on it): "No, please continue! You two are FAR more entertaining than what I was going to tell Julie about her new armor."

(Aida looks at Bob, and her eyes flare a pupilless blue. There is a brief sparkle to the forcefield surrounding him)

 **Starforce** (to Aida): "Nice try."

 **Ha'Pele** (eyes returning to normal): "You can't wear your battlesuit forever. I can afford to be patient."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Aida): "I'm beginning to like how you think!"

 **Starforce** (to Julie): "Good thing I didn't put any augmentation into yours, then."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Wait. You could DO that with this suit?"

 **Starforce** : "It's a simple enough upgrade. The material is a very long-chain carbon nanostructure with inclusions of titanium, nitrogen, boron, and rhenium -- very amenable to conducting a low-power holographic forcefield within it."

 **Ha'Pele** : "Auf Englisch, bitte?"

 **Starforce** : "I can make her better, stronger, or faster than she was before." (beat, to Julie) "Pick any two."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Tempting as it is, I think I'll pass on augmentation for now." (beat, looks at her new suit) "What do I get from it unpowered, then?"

 **Starforce** : "You could take a full-power punch from me, and between it and your natural dexterity the worst that will happen to you is that you'll have the wind knocked out of you for a couple of seconds."

 **Ladyhawk** : "I've seen you punch a vault door open before, Nerd-boy. Damn!"

(beat)

 **Starforce** : "Aren't you going to try it on?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Now? In front of you?"

 **Starforce** (sighs, waves toward the Mud Room door): "Use your common sense."

 **Ha'Pele** (to Bob): "She was hoping you'd say 'yes.'"

 **Ladyhawk** (to Aida): "Shut UP!"

(Bob's eyes widen. Julie blushes furiously)

 **Starforce** (folding arms, to Julie): "Okay, then."

 **Ladyhawk** (beginning to pull her t-shirt off): "It's not like you haven't seen a naked woman before..."

 **Starforce** (deadpan): "Technically, I haven't. Nebula was Yuun'ta."

(Julie lets that comment slide while finishing stripping down to the swimsuit she was wearing underneath her t-shirt and jeans)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Good thing I was going to take a swim tonight."

(she wriggles into her new armor and fastens it)

 **Starforce** : "Well?"

 **Ladyhawk** (beat, amazed): "I think you got it right!"

(she launches into a backflip sequence across the garage, ending with a roundhouse kick that hits the target Bob had set up square in its center of mass)

 **Starforce** : "No restrictions on movement?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "No! It felt like I wasn't wearing anything at all..." (beat, then horrified) "You didn't have Ms. Lerner play some sort of illusion trick on me just now, did you?"

 **Ha'Pele** : "I haven't touched your mind beyond simple surface thought reading."

 **Starforce** : "And I'm not that evil. Thanks for suggesting the idea, though."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Nerd-boy, if it weren't for your birthday present I would hate you even more than I already do just for that comment."

 **Starforce** : "I'm not the one living rent-free in your head right now, Ninjette. Aida is."

 **Ladyhawk** (through gritted teeth): "Good. Night."

(she collects her clothes and stomps out of the garage)

 **Starforce** (cheerfully demented): "I never knew how much fun dating a telepath could be!"

 **Ha'Pele** : "Don't push your luck."

* * *

(Granite Park, Plano, TX. Lunch hour, the next day)

(Julie exits ProStar and walks toward the jogging path by the lake. There is a man sitting down at her usual picnic table who looks a lot like Bob, setting a briefcase down and taking a suit jacket off)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Aren't you a bit overdressed, Nerd-boy?"

 **Man** : "Excuse me?"

(the differences in his voice don't register with Julie)

 **Ladyhawk** : "You almost NEVER wear a tie!" (beat) "Oh, you're waiting for Aida to show up! I get it."

 **Man** : "Do I know you?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Hello? Julie Dormyer?" (beat) "I own the house whose guest apartment the government has forced you to live in?"

(awkward pause)

 **Man** (sitting down): "Tell me more about this life I've forgotten about, Miss Dormyer."

 **Ladyhawk** (evil grin): "Oh, this is going to be SO much fun..."

(Ted walks up with a take-out sack from Asia Palace)

 **Ranger** : "Hey, guys."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Ted!" (points to the man who looks like Bob) "I think Nerd-boy pissed Aida off last night and she wiped his memory."

 **Ranger** : "Oh?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Go ahead! Ask him something."

 **Ranger** : "Julie? I know he looks eerily like Bob..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Aw, come on! How often is this ever going to happen? Let's have some fun at his expense."

 **Ranger** (looking off to the side): "Uh, Julie..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Well, if YOU'RE not going to take advantage of him, I *am*"

 **Ranger** (still looking off, more insistent): "Julie!"

 **Man** : "You Americans are *insane*!"

 **Starforce** : "What the HELL?"

(Julie looks in the direction Ted has been looking. Bob is only feet from the picnic table, Aida hanging onto his arm. He has made eye contact with the man who looks remarkably like him, jaw hanging open in shock. Julie looks back and forth several time between Bob and the man she thought was Bob as her mouth slowly drops open in shock)

 **Ha'Pele** (eyes glowing, looking at the man sitting at the picnic table): "You're a long way from home, Captain Varinnikov."

(tense pause)

 **Sergei** (to Aida): "Have *we* met?"

 **Ha'Pele** : "Not personally. I have heard *of* you, however."

 **Ranger** : "Aida, what's going on here?"

 **Ha'Pele** : "Allow me to introduce Captain Sergei Varinnikov, Red Army liaison to the Soviet Union's official superteam 'The Supreme Soviets'." (beat) "MOSSAD has had occasion to work both with them and against them."

 **Ranger** : "At the same time?"

 **Ha'Pele** : "Not usually."

 **Sergei** : "My apologies. My mission in America is to deal with the rogue KGB operative known to Western intelligence as 'The Disinformer'."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Why not use the Supreme Soviets, instead?"

 **Sergei** : "My superiors feel that deploying them on American soil to bring Disinformer to justice would be... destabilizing to relations between our nations."

 **Ranger** : "Ya THINK?"

 **Sergei** : "I, however, have the dual advantages of being somewhat less threatening to your nation... and being expendable should it become necessary."

(awkward pause. Sergei turns his attention to Bob, whose mouth is still hanging open in shock)

 **Starforce** : "I'm sorry. I still can't shake the _Twilight Zone_ vibe of discovering a previously-unknown twin brother who was raised in the Soviet Union."

 **Sergei** : "When were you born?"

 **Starforce** : "1962."

 **Sergei** : "I was born in 1961. We cannot be twins."

 **Starforce** : "Then why do we look alike?"

 **Sergei** : "Perhaps we are related?"

(beat, then everyone at or around the picnic table cracks up laughing. Bob and Aida sit down with the others)

 **Sergei** : "Tell me, are any of you employed at the company called 'ProStar Industries'?"

(Ted, Julie, and Bob raise their hands)

 **Sergei** (continuing): "Is it true that ProStar is of some importance to the American superhero group 'TASK FORCE'?"

 **Ranger** (passing out Chinese food): "Why do you ask?"

 **Sergei** : "Because it would be most embarrasing if they were to interrupt me in my mission without realizing why I am here."

 **Ranger** : "I can see that." (beat, evasively) "Let me see what I can do."

 **Sergei** : "Thank you."

 **Ha'Pele** (to Julie): ((I need to speak to you after lunch. IN PRIVATE))

 **Ladyhawk** (beat): ((Okay))

* * *

(Eastbound I-40, between Clinton and Weatherford, OK. Simultaneous with previous scene)

(Jack 'Minuteman' Snyder is looking anxiously at the sky darkening rapidly to his north as he drives his semi. He grabs the mike of his CB)

 **Minuteman** : "Breaker one-nine, this here's the Minuteman, lookin' for a weather report on I-40 between Clinton and Oklahoma City. Anyone got their ears on?"

(beat)

 **CB** : "Minuteman, this is the Pinch Hitter. It's clear east of Weatherford but west of there there's a squall line comin' in hot from the north."

 **Minuteman** : "Thanks, good buddy, I'm lookin' at that squall line too. What's your 20?"

 **CB** : "Exit 71, westbound. Also, I just saw a whole *mess* o' storm-chasers get off the highway at that exit. Looks like they're headin' north."

 **Minuteman** : "I'm at mile marker 70, eastbound. I'll probably pass you in the next couple of seconds."

 **CB** : "40-roger there, good buddy. If you can make it to Weatherford, you'll probably outrun the eastern end of it."

 **Minuteman** (looking off to the north): "I dunno there, Pinch Hitter. It's lookin' like it's movin' real fast."

 **CB** : "There anyplace in the next few miles I could pull off and ride it out?"

 **Minuteman** : "If you take exit 69, there's a truck stop to your right a quarter-mile from the exit."

 **CB** : "Thank you kindly there, Minuteman! Stay safe. The Pinch Hitter in the Mobile, stealing second."

 **Minuteman** : "The Minuteman, puttin' the hammer down. Bye."

(the semi rocks as a wind gust hits it. Taking another glance at the ugly-looking clouds now filling half of the northern sky, he floors the accelerator)

* * *

(East of Denton, TX, south of US 380. 2 hours later.)

(The wind is increasing from the south and rustling the trees between the highway and the northernmost tip of Lake Lewisville. A shooting star drops out of the milky sky into the scrub forest)

(In a clearing 50 feet south of the highway, the shooting star brakes violently into a hover, and we see it's Starforce. He looks around, then backs up to the eastern edge of the clearing)

 **Starforce** : ((I have the LZ, Kent))

 **Spiritual Warrior** : ((Got it. Porting in 3... 2... 1...))

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(Ladyhawk, Sage, Ha'Pele, and Spiritual Warrior flash into existence)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Thanks, Kent." (pointing at Spiritual Warrior and Sage) "You two have your orders. Go."

 **Sage** (to Spiritual Warrior): "Some haste may be in order. I believe Captain Varinnikov may be in some trouble right now."

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Is your mental trace solid enough to allow a teleport?"

 **Sage** (beat): "Yes. Here is what he's looking at."

(Sage's eyes glow as he blasts the image to him)

 **Spiritual Warrior** (putting a hand on Sage): "Got it. Porting in 3... 2... 1..."

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Okay, Nerd-boy. Where are we heading?"

 **Starforce** (pointing to the west): "200 feet that way."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Then let's get moving."

(the team heads out of the clearing)

 **Ladyhawk** (to Starforce): "Anything we should be worried about?"

 **Starforce** : "Not that I saw on-site as I flew in." (beat) "I am worried that our extraction post-mission could get a little interesting, weather-wise."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Do we *really* need to be worrying about that right now, Nerd-boy?"

 **Starforce** : "Probably. While I was airborne, I was tracking one helluva squall line that just pushed across the Red River, headed this way. I've *never* seen a storm moving that fast with winds that strong in my life."

 **Ladyhawk** (beat): "Okay. Is there a tornado danger?"

 **Starforce** : "Based on its radar presentation, I'd be more worried about straight-line winds and microbursts." (beat, pointing ahead) "Especially if Biomaster's buildings are as flimsy as they looked to me."

* * *

(Eastern piers, Lake Lewisville Toll Bridge project site. Simultaneous with previous scene)

(Sergei's rental car drives up to a late-model sedan. Anatoliy, Pavel, and Alexei wait for him)

 **Sergei** (getting out of his car): «I would have thought there would actually be workers here. Are you sure it's safe?»

 **Anatoliy** : «Some college students with more time on their hands than common sense keep blocking progress on this project in the local legal system.»

 **Sergei** : «Why?»

 **Anatoliy** : «Some crap about environmental justice." (beat) "They would never be tolerated at home.»

 **Sergei** : «There is much about America that confuses me.»

 **Anatoliy** (producing a gun and aiming it at Sergei): «Good.»

(tense pause)

 **Sergei** : «You must have different orders regarding Agent Dzerhavin than I do.»

 **Anatoliy** : «Very GOOD, Captain Varinnikov! It will truly be a shame to kill one as intelligent as you.»

(Alexei and Pavel have now each taken one of Sergei's arms)

 **Sergei** (trying to remain calm): «You are working for Colonel Vasalov, no? He has always had designs on running the Supreme Soviets for himself and not the benefit of the Rodina.»

 **Anatoliy** : «And with your death by misadventure in America, a liaison officer more... loyal... to Colonel Vasalov will help facilitate that.»

(tense pause. Sergei stands defiantly, refusing even to struggle as he is held in place for his execution)

 **Anatoliy** (raising the pistol to target Sergei's head): «I'll say this for you, Captain. At least you face your death like a man.»

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(Spiritual Warrior immediately interposes himself between Anatoliy and Sergei, Khereviel in guard position)

 **Anatoliy** (switching aim from Sergei): "Never bring a sword to a gunfight, hero..."

(he empties the clip. Spiritual Warrior casually deflects each shot with Khereviel)

(Alexei screams and releases Sergei, totally unable to perceive anything with his senses [Sage hit him with a Flash vs all sense groups]. Quick on the uptake, Sergei throws Pavel into him, tangling them up. Sergei is free, Alexei and Pavel are on the ground)

(Before Anatoliy can grab a clip for reloading his gun, he finds Khereviel's tip at his throat)

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Drop it."

(wordlessly, Anatoliy drops his gun to the ground. Off to the side, Pavel's swearing in Russian abruptly stops as Sage knocks him out with a Mental Blast)

 **Sergei** (beat, to Spiritual Warrior): "To what do I owe your extremely-timely rescue right now?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "We understand that you were trying to reach TASK FORCE concerning a rogue KGB agent?"

 **Sergei** : "Yes."

 **Sage** (finishing with mentally paralyzing the KGB agents): "We also received credible information that your life was at risk. We were tasked to stop that attempt."

 **Sergei** : "And the rest of your team?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Dealing with Disinformer and the supervillain whom he is attempting to meet as we speak."

 **Sergei** : "Oh."

(awkward pause)

 **Sage** : "Now what?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "We need to stay here, because something's about to happen which will *require* our presence here. I wish I could be more specific."

 **Sage** : "What about the Russians?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Captain Varinnikov hasn't done anything illegal. His 'friends', on the other hand..."

(awkward pause as he looks at a fearful Anatoliy)

 **Sergei** : "Is there a nearby police station to which they can turn themselves in?"

(beat, then Spiritual Warrior smiles)

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "The closest one would be in Little Elm."

 **Sage** (eyes starting to glow as he steps in front of Anatoliy): "I believe I can manage that."

* * *

(Outside Biomaster's base, east of Denton, TX)

(Ladyhawk, Starforce, and Ha'Pele are looking at a large, warehouse-like structure surrounded by barbed-wire fencing. Ha'Pele has everyone mind-linked)

 **Ha'Pele** : ((seriously? The PLO has better facilities than this))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((from prior experience, Biomaster does tend to skimp on them and blow his money on big science-y things instead. That's why I was able to find him so quickly this morning))

 **Starforce** (scanning the building): ((don't seem to be any cameras this time. At least outside))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((they're probably all inside. He's counting on the fence and his doors to let him know when someone's entering)) (beat) ((Nerd-boy, can you get us over the fence?))

 **Starforce** : ((yeah. Now?))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((yes, now!))

 **Starforce** : ((hang on))

(Ladyhawk and Ha'Pele hold onto Starforce. He lights his forcefield and rapidly has them over the fence and against the nearest wall of the building)

 **Ladyhawk** (to Ha'Pele): ((are you OK?))

 **Ha'Pele** : ((I'm fine. This is just a *lot* different from any other mission I've been on))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((how so?))

 **Ha'Pele** : ((I usually have a strike team from Sayeret-19 backing me up.))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((Why not this time?))

 **Ha'Pele** : ((It would have been difficult getting them into America)) (beat) ((shouldn't you be finding a door?))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((right))

(working their way down the eastern wall of the building, they finally find a door after rounding the southeastern corner of the building. There is only a few feet between the door and a steep, 5-foot embankment down into Lake Lewisville. Midway down the southern wall, the lake actually touches the building's foundation at what appears to be a heavy steel gate)

 **Starforce** : ((try not to slip, guys))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((har, har, Nerd-boy))

(Ladyhawk works quickly with her lockpicks, and the door is opened in short order. The team quickly enters, then shuts the door back behind them)

 **Ladyhawk** : ((careful. There's no railing on this catwalk))

 **Starforce** : ((if that was supposed to be a fire escape, its placement was pretty bad))

 **Ha'Pele** (looking down): ((what's wrong with the water?))

(Starforce and Ladyhawk look down. There is a large pool directly underneath the catwalk on which they have now found themselves. Small forms swim frantically around just underneath its surface)

 **Starforce** (switching spectral filters to IR): ((the fish seem rather exothermic today))

 **Ha'Pele** : ((and hungry. What minds they have are... disturbing))

(there is a click from the far end of the catwalk)

 **Ha'Pele** : ((NOBODY MOVE))

(the door at the far end of the catwalk opens. Biomaster walks through, followed by Disinformer and a man of Middle-Eastern descent)

 **Disinformer** : "So what are you doing here?"

 **Biomaster** : "I needed to leave town last summer, and found myself in the Amazon basin of Brazil."

 **Ladyhawk** : ((oh, so THAT'S where he went post-Grand Prairie)) /* the prologue scene of 'Heart of Darkness' */

 **Biomaster** (continuing): "I was fascinated by the piranha in the local streams, and was curious about what I could do with them."

 **Starforce** : ((we're in clear sight of them! Why can't they see us?))

 **Ha'Pele** : ((I'm clouding their minds. As long as we don't move, they can't))

 **Mook** : "Those aren't really piranha..."

 **Disinformer** (looking at the mook): "Then you won't mind taking a swim and proving it to us, will you?"

(Disinformer smiles. The mook smiles back at him, and casually steps off the catwalk as if he thought it went the direction he intended to walk. With a surprised scream, he falls into the water)

(the water where he falls in immediately starts boiling. Ugly-looking fish jump out of it and attack the mook as if in a blood frenzy. The mook screams, then is dragged underwater in a gush of bubbles. After a moment, a burst of red foam erupts on the surface)

 **Ladyhawk** : ((I think I am going to be sick))

 **Biomaster** : "Did I mention that I have been genetically modifying them?"

 **Disinformer** : "No, I don't believe you did." (beat) "You are not disturbed by what I just did?"

 **Biomaster** : "Actually, I am. That *was* rather cold-blooded of you, wasn't it?"

 **Disinformer** : "No. Barbarians such as the PLO are totally undeserving of the powers your genius can grant others through your serum..."

(Biomaster and Disinformer vanish through the door that they had previously entered)

 **Ha'Pele** : ((okay guys. Let's move))

 **Ladyhawk** (shaken by what she has just witnessed): ((Starforce? Could you get us to the other door))

 **Starforce** (also shaken): ((not a problem))

(Starforce flies Ladyhawk and Ha'Pele to the other door in short order)

 **Ladyhawk** : ((Aida, can you mask our entry through this door?))

 **Ha'Pele** : ((yes. Give me a moment))

(tense pause)

 **Ha'Pele** : ((okay. Go))

(the door is unlocked. They are now looking over something more resembling a warehouse. Biomaster and Disinformer are on opposite sides of a table under the only light in the room)

(Biomaster puts a container on the table in front of him, marked for carrying biohazards)

 **Biomaster** : "The Sky-Q serum, as requested. And your payment?"

(Disinformer mimes putting a briefcase onto the table in front of him. The briefcase that is by his feet stays there. Awkward pause)

 **Biomaster** : "Don't insult my intelligence. It's still by your feet."

 **Disinformer** : "I had to try."

 **Biomaster** : "I'd be disappointed if you didn't."

 **Disinformer** : "You are immune from my powers?"

 **Biomaster** : "For purposes of our meeting this afternoon, yes."

(there is a low rumble of approaching thunder from outside)

 **Ha'Pele** (to Starforce): ((can you take Biomaster?))

 **Starforce** : ((by surprise, yes))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((Disinformer's gonna bolt with the drug when Nerd-boy makes his move))

 **Ha'Pele** : ((do you have anything that can blind him? He can't cast illusions on what he can't see))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((yes))

 **Ha'Pele** : ((use it on him))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((now?))

 **Ha'Pele** : ((now))

(Ladyhawk's flash-bang lands 3 meters from the table [she was targeting the table and missed])

 **Ladyhawk** : ((dammit))

 **Biomaster** (watching the flash-bang land): "Oh, crap."

(the flash-bang goes off. Biomaster and Disinformer are blind, deaf, and knocked down for their next action phases)

(Starforce hits with his Electrogravitic Manipulation and succeeds in pulling the neurokinetic gauntlet off of Biomaster's right hand)

(Disinformer gets up, grabs the container containing what he had just purchased, and runs for where he remembers the stairs to be)

(Starforce flash-steps down to where Biomaster is and tackles him, pinning his left hand underneath his body)

(vision clearing, Disinformer makes eye contact with Ha'Pele and Ladyhawk. He runs past Ladyhawk unimpeded and swings the container at Ha'Pele. She ducks, and Disinformer runs through the door into the room with the breeding pool)

 **Starforce** : "HE'S ON THE CATWALK! GET HIM!!"

(Ha'Pele and Ladyhawk take off in pursuit of Disinformer)

* * *

(Inside Biomaster's base, east of Denton, TX. One second later)

(Starforce has Biomaster pinned to the floor. The only hand with a neurokinetic gauntlet on is pinned uselessly underneath his body. The rumble of approaching thunder outside is louder and more frequent)

 **Biomaster** : "Starforce, please listen to me! What I sold Disinformer DOESN'T. WORK!"

(shocked pause)

 **Starforce** : "You were SCAMMING him?"

 **Biomaster** : "And the people he was working for!" (beat) "I *really* needed the money."

 **Starforce** : "Does MOSSAD know what you were doing?"

 **Biomaster** : "Who do you think CALLED them?"

(Starforce's jaw hangs open in shock)

 **Biomaster** : "If it's not too much of a problem, I'd *really* like to get into my tornado shelter sometime in the next 30 seconds."

(the lights flicker, and a second later there is a very loud crack of thunder. Starforce releases Biomaster and levitates away)

 **Starforce** (forcefield rippling): "Go. Now."

 **Biomaster** : "Thank you."

(Biomaster grabs the briefcase of money and runs off in the opposite direction from the one Disinformer went. Starforce flash-steps to the door into the breeding pool as the building shakes from the now rapidly-increasing wind)

 **Ladyhawk** (angry as her shuriken go WAY wide of where Disinformer actually is): "DAMMIT! WHY can't you keep him from doing that to me?"

 **Ha'Pele** : "I have problems of my own right now, thank you very much..."

(the whole building convulses from the impact of a straight-line wind gust exceeding 100 MPH. The catwalk Ladyhawk, Ha'Pele, and Disinformer are on shakes and gives way. Disinformer is able to hang on, Ladyhawk is slammed into one of the walls and lets go)

 **Disinformer** (simultaneous with Ladyhawk letting go, hitting the wrist of the hand Ha'Pele is using to hang onto the catwalk): "In you go."

 **Starforce** : "DAMMIT!!"

(Starforce flies to Ladyhawk and grabs her before she can land in the breeding pool. Ha'Pele falls into the water. Before Disinformer can gloat, something slams into the wall behind him from the outside, knocking him and the surviving piece of catwalk into the pool as well. Starforce flies Ladyhawk up to one of the pipes along the ceiling)

 **Starforce** : "Grab it!"

(Ladyhawk grabs the pipe. Starforce lets go and flies into the water, right into the middle of the water now boiling due to the frenzied activity of all the piranha)

 **Ladyhawk** : "STARFORCE!"

(Starforce shoots out of the water, carrying a wide-eyed Ha'Pele. She's taken 2 BODY from the piranha, and is still bleeding)

 **Starforce** : "Grab the pipes!"

(she does. Like Ladyhawk, she is now hanging off the shaking and creaking ceiling, her feet 5 feet above the surface of the water. Disinformer surfaces a couple of times, screaming, before the piranhas finally finish eating him)

 **Ladyhawk** : "No pressure, Nerd-boy, but I'm feeling the ceiling shifting!"

 **Starforce** (looking at ceiling): "If I punch through it, both of you fall in before I can grab you. If I grab both of you, I can't punch through..."

(he looks back into the pool)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Starforce?"

 **Starforce** : "Got an idea. Give me a second."

(he takes a deep breath of air and flies back into the water. Ladyhawk sees the flare of his forcefield shoot toward the lake end of the breeding pool)

 **Ha'Pele** (in pain): "I hope he knows what he's doing!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "So do I!"

(there is an incandescent flare underwater. The building shakes, the surface of the water jumps, then with a groan the rest of the ceiling starts to sag)

 **Ladyhawk** (Danger Sense now *really* going off): "DAMMIT, Starforce..."

(Starforce shoots out of the water directly underneath the women. His forcefield flickers, and suddenly they are within it, one held in each of his arms)

 **Starforce** : "I've got both of you! Let go!"

(both women let go, and are now hovering with Starforce in the increasingly-shrinking air space. The scream of metal being strained to its breaking point is now almost as deafening as the roar of the wind outside)

 **Ha'Pele** : "You're going to take us THROUGH those hell-fish?"

 **Starforce** : "DEEP BREATH AND HOLD IT, BOTH OF YOU!"

(both do as they're told, along with Starforce. He drops underwater with them and flies to the exit he just made, now jammed with piranha)

(as they reach his makeshift exit, a colossal downburst of wind smashes into the remains of the building containing the breeding pool. Everything that was in the pool -- piranha and superhero -- is blasted out into or just above Lake Lewisville. By virtue of outrunning the pressure wave, Starforce+payload remains stable but still underwater)

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[SKY! CLIMB!!]]

(Starforce shoots out of the water. They can breathe again, but they're still in the middle of the derecho. A derecho now full of angry, genetically-modified piranha flying all around them, bouncing off of his forcefield)

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[Speed mode, NOW]]

(still in the middle of the storm, he goes to full noncombat air movement [which is just south of 900 MPH]. Popping the sound barrier, he flies clear of the storm and streaks toward the south end of Lake Lewisville)

 **Starforce** : "You can breathe now, girls."

(both Ladyhawk and Ha'Pele take very grateful lungfuls of air)

 **Starforce** (internal monologue while trying to get a few more miles per hour out of his suit): [[Underwater with two beautiful women, and I was busy rescuing them instead. Story of my life.]]

 **Ha'Pele** : ((You have some VERY interesting fantasies along those lines))

(Starforce blushes furiously and tries to shrink into his battlesuit)

 **Ha'Pele** : ((I never said they were bad)) (beat) ((For future reference, so does Julie))

(Starforce's eyes widen behind his mask)

 **Ha'Pele** : ((down, boy))

* * *

**/* geography note** : it's about 5 miles from US 380 to the eventual site of the Toll Bridge. Starforce will cover this distance in 20 seconds */

(Eastern piers, Lake Lewisville Toll Bridge project site. One second later)

(a shooting star erupts from the oncoming squall line, heading rapidly toward the bridge site. There is a pronounced rooster-tail of water behind it)

 **Sergei** (breathed): "Bozhemoi..."

 **Sage** : ((Starforce! Eastern shore, by the bridge piers!))

(the shooting star slams on the brakes about a mile away and heads toward Sage at a much more sedate speed. Five seconds later, a sonic boom rattles Sage and Spiritual Warrior)

 **Starforce** : ((trying to outrun the storm. Sorry about that))

(Starforce lands gently next to Sage and Spiritual Warrior. His forcefield drops, and he releases Ladyhawk and Ha'Pele)

 **Ha'Pele** (giving Starforce a quick peck on the cheek): "That was... unique. Thank you."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Ha'Pele): "DON'T encourage him."

 **Ha'Pele** (with a mysterious smile): "I already have."

 **Ladyhawk** (now noticing the blood on Aida): "Oh, my God! You're bleeding."

 **Ha'Pele** : "I'm fine. I'll heal now."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Not with wounds like THAT..." (grabs the first aid kit from her utility belt and starts checking the wounds) "You should have said something the moment we landed..."

 **Starforce** (looking up at the increasingly biblically-looking sky): "I figure we've got three minutes before the storm's here."

 **Ladyhawk** (still treating Aida's wounds): "And thanks to how Nerd-boy just saved us, it's now full of genetically-modified piranha that'll go through everything between here and the Dallas Central Business District like a giant wood-chipper."

(Starforce noisily clears his throat and points at Capt. Varinnikov, sitting quietly and very wide-eyed off to the side)

 **Ladyhawk** (glancing at him): "So?"

 **Starforce** : "Calling me Nerd-boy in front of him right now? You called me that at lunch in front of him, as well. You just blew both MY secret identity and *yours*."

 **Ladyhawk** (beat, internal monologue): [[aw, CRAP!]]

 **Starforce** : "And about that rescue, Ninjette? You're welcome."

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "If you two are through, I can't stop the storm."

 **Starforce** : "You stopped a tornado before on less notice than this!"

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "That was a much smaller storm than this one is, and artificially-manipulated to boot." /* 'You All Meet In A Lab' */

 **Sage** : "Could you do something about the genetic constructs within the storm, then?"

(beat)

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "That I CAN do!"

 **Starforce** : "What do you need?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "I'll need you to give me a map for targeting, Sage to locate the piranha's minds on it, and Sage to blast both of those into my mind."

(Sage steps between Starforce and Spiritual Warrior and puts a hand on each of their heads. Starforce throws up a map overlay on his current visual)

 **Spiritual Warrior** : ((Got it. Give me a moment))

(Spiritual Warrior spikes Khereviel into the ground and rests both hands on it, concentrating and praying. The gust front from the advancing storm whips around them all)

 **Starforce** : ((2 minutes))

 **Spiritual Warrior** (lifting his face to the sky): "Here we go."

(for a moment, nothing happens as the shelf cloud of the oncoming derecho reaches ominously toward them. Then, the entire storm from the eastern to western shores of the lake erupts in a continous sheet of lightning for several seconds [in game mechanics, a 1d6 RKA continuous MegaScale line])

(tense pause)

 **Starforce** : ((and??))

 **Sage** (beat): ((no lifeforms within the approaching storm))

(Spiritual Warrior relaxes)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Uh, guys?"

 **Starforce** : "It worked. The derecho is 100% piranha-free."

 **Ladyhawk** : "That's nice, but we're still kind of out in the open with a VIOLENT THUNDERSTORM about to hit us!"

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Relax. Everyone get close and I'll have us in your foyer in no time."

 **Sergei** : "What about my car?"

 **Starforce** (hitting it with his suit's telekinesis and levitating): "Go with the others. I'll bring it with me."

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor. Two hours later. The driveway has been cleared of branches, which are piled up on either side)

(Sergei is enjoying a Dr. Pepper while sitting in the Great Room watching the local news with Aida)

 **Anchorette** : "The derecho that swept across Dallas this afternoon held an extra -- and bloody -- surprise for everyone at the north end of Lake Lewisville. Emergency services from Denton to Lake Dallas were overloaded with reports of *piranhas* being carried by the storm as it moved south down Lake Lewisville. Andy Marcino has more details."

(the TV jumps to a live feed from the west end of the bridge project)

 **Andy** : "That's right, Deborah. Emergency responders were frozen with disbelief as 911 calls flooded in about *carnivorous* *fish* being carried by the severe thunderstorm that moved through Denton County this afternoon..."

(Sergei mutes the TV and looks at Ladyhawk, who has just entered from the Breakfast nook)

 **Ladyhawk** (smiling): "All in a day's work when you're a member of TASK FORCE."

 **Sergei** : "I never asked since we got here. How come your house still has power and most everywhere else doesn't?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Nerd-boy has a fusion generator in the private lab under the garage which he hooked into the main fuse box. It kicked over automatically when the power went out."

(Starforce appears from the Mud Room, still suited-up and holding a videotape)

 **Starforce** (handing videotape to Sergei): "I dumped my flight recorder so you can prove to your superiors that Disinformer's been dealt with."

 **Sergei** (taking videotape): "Thank you." (shudders) "What a way to go."

 **Ladyhawk** : "He did it to himself."

 **Ha'Pele** : "With an able assist from Mother Nature."

(Ted enters the Great Room, having just arrived at Dormyer Manor)

 **Ranger** : "Things are STILL a mess across the area. Julie, I think you're the only house with any power right now..."

(he freezes as he registers both Sergei's presence and the fact that the rest of TASK FORCE present is still suited up)

 **Ranger** (pointing at Sergei): "Why is HE here with you guys still in uniform?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "He figured out who we were."

 **Starforce** (deadpan): "He had help."

(he suddenly coughs in a manner that sounds suspiciously like "Julie". Ladyhawk glares at him, then hits him in the ribcage)

 **Ha'Pele** : "Children? Behave."

 **Sergei** (to Ranger, indicating Starforce and Ladyhawk): "Are they always like this to each other?"

 **Ranger** : "No. Sometimes, they're worse." (beat, sighs) "Anything else I shouldn't know about today?"

 **Starforce** : "Other than the ground-penetrating radar in Captain Varinnikov's briefcase? I don't think so."

(shocked pause. Sergei almost imperceptably gulps nervously)

 **Ranger** (slowly): "WHAT?"

 **Starforce** (slower): "Captain Varinnikov has a ground-penetrating radar in his briefcase."

 **Ranger** : "I UNDERSTOOD that the first time you said it!" (beat) "Are you *sure*?"

 **Starforce** : "It shows up clearly on my radar and on energy scans." (beat) "From what I recall about our lunch hour, it was also aimed at the ProStar building pretty much the entire time we were eating."

(awkward pause)

 **Ranger** (to Sergei): "Another assignment from your superiors?"

 **Sergei** : "No, it was personal. I was planning on reverse-engineering ProStar technology to advance my career, perhaps become a superhuman myself."

 **Ha'Pele** (eyes returning to normal): "He speaks the truth."

 **Ranger** : "Personal greed. Not exactly a paragon of communist virtue, is it?"

 **Sergei** : "I am a Russian patriot, first and foremost." (beat) "And in the days to come, you may be surprised by just how weak communism is in my homeland."

 **Ranger** : "Regardless of your personal beliefs, I cannot allow you to leave this house with the data you've collected. Put your briefcase on the coffee table NOW."

(Sergei does what he is told, only because he is outnumbered by superheroes)

 **Ranger** : "Ladyhawk?"

 **Ladyhawk** (kneeling in front of the table): "On it, boss."

(she starts to work with her lockpicks)

 **Sergei** : "I'm afraid it may take you a while, Miss Dormyer..."

(CLICK!)

 **Ladyhawk** (opening the briefcase): "You were saying, Captain?"

(Starforce leans over Ladyhawk's shoulder to peer inside the now-open briefcase. Tense pause)

 **Starforce** (impressed): "Dang."

 **Ranger** : "Could you be more specific, Bob?"

 **Starforce** : "It's strangely reminiscent of my first holographic computer prototypes back in Junior High, but there's an ingeniousness to its layout and design that can only come from..."

(Starforce uncharacteristically struggles for words)

 **Sergei** (deadpan): "Inadequacy?"

 **Starforce** : "I was trying to be diplomatic, but I suppose that term will do."

 **Sergei** : "I built it myself using my own skills at electronics and a rather-battered first edition of your textbook on holographic computing someone had smuggled home."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Starforce): "You wrote a textbook?"

 **Starforce** : "It was back in high school. Focus, Ninjette." (beat, to Sergei) "Are you sure you don't want to defect? Judging from this design, you know more on this subject than a lot of alleged experts I tolerate at electronics conferences!"

 **Sergei** : "I'm sure."

 **Ranger** : "Which still leaves us with the slight problem of industrial espionage you just conducted. That alone may be enough to trigger a diplomatic incident."

 **Starforce** (reaching into the briefcase): "Oh, that's easily enough solved."

(he pulls a glowing cube out of its socket, which stops glowing)

 **Starforce** (continuing, handing the cube to Ted): "His central memory core. Everything he scanned at Granite Park and Dormyer Manor today."

 **Ladyhawk** : "We can't accuse him of industrial espionage if we take back what he stole."

 **Sergei** : "And everyone walks away either free or happy." (beat) "Why would you do this?"

 **Ranger** : "Better the devil we know. Especially when he owes us his life and a favor."

 **Starforce** : "And looks like my evil twin from a transporter accident."

 **Sergei** : "Will I even *remember* those favors after my mind-wipe? Because that's what you're going to do to me to keep your secret identities a secret."

 **Ha'Pele** : "I think you underestimate my abilities to remove memories, Captain."

* * *

**EPILOGUE** : Lawry's Prime Rib, Addison, TX. After Sunset

(Bob's Corvette pulls into the parking lot and stops. He gets out, then helps Aida out of the passenger side. Traffic streams by on the Dallas North Tollway just across the street)

 **Ha'Pele** : "Have you ever eaten here before?"

 **Starforce** (shakes his head): "No. Ted recommended it, though."

(they walk across the parking lot to the main door)

 **Ha'Pele** : "Are all your days typically like today?"

 **Starforce** : "You mean, foil a deal between a supervillain and a terrorist group while saving women from genetically-modified piranha that have been released into a violent thunderstorm, then for an encore thwart an industrial espionage plot with potentially earth-shattering implications?" (beat, overexaggerates catching his breath) "Not usually."

 **Ha'Pele** : "Aren't you forgetting the faction fight within the Soviet Defense Ministry that they attempted to resolve on American soil?"

 **Starforce** : "I didn't have that much breath."

 **Ha'Pele** (chuckles): "So in other words, the moments of intense excitement are punctuated by several days of sheer boredom?"

 **Starforce** (smiling): "That sounds like something Ted once said about combat."

(they enter the restaurant. Ted and Julie have been waiting)

 **Ha'Pele** : "Speaking of which, hi!"

 **Starforce** (confused): "I... wasn't aware that this was going to be a double-date."

 **Ladyhawk** (confused): "Me, neither."

(awkward pause as everyone looks at each other)

 **Ha'Pele** : "Bob? Can I speak to you for a moment in private?"

 **Starforce** (still confused): "Uh, yeah."

(she takes him in between the inner and outer doors into the restaurant)

 **Ha'Pele** (holding Bob): "Robert Hawkins, you're wonderful, you're heroic..." (beat) "You always smell good."

(they laugh)

 **Starforce** : "There's a 'but' at the end of that sentence, Aida. Tell me."

 **Ha'Pele** : "You're hung up on a woman who would rather die than explain why she has issues with you. Let her go while you still can."

 **Starforce** : "If I did, would you be there for me?"

 **Ha'Pele** (beat): "No. It's the curse of protecting Israel."

 **Starforce** : "At least you're honest with me." (beat) "We still have tonight, though."

 **Ha'Pele** : "Um, about that..."

 **Starforce** (beat): "You're kidding me."

 **Ha'Pele** : "Major Jameson gets me. He's been in the military." (beat) "And we've already made plans."

(she suddenly pulls Bob's head down and kisses him before his eyes can get too wide)

 **Ha'Pele** (continuing): "But thank you for the last couple of days!"

(She breaks her embrace and heads back into the restaurant. Ted and Julie have already taken posession of a booth in the bar area, and they walk to them)

 **Ha'Pele** (to Ted): "Ready?"

 **Ranger** : "Let's go."

 **Ladyhawk** : "WHAT?!?"

 **Starforce** : "You CAN'T leave me with One Date Dormyer here!"

 **Ha'Pele/Ranger** : "Good night, Bob!"

(Aida leaves with Ted, arm in arm. Bob's jaw hangs open in shock)

 **Ladyhawk** (with growing anger): "One Date Dormyer?!?"

 **Starforce** : "You *do* have a reputation across Metroplex high society for your first -- and ONLY -- dates ending up in the ER. That's what they call you now."

(Julie stands and grabs the lapels of Bob's sport coat, very angry)

 **Starforce** (coldly): "Other than having me press charges for assault, exactly WHAT do you hope to achieve by sending *me* to the ER as well?"

(beat, then Julie lets go)

 **Starforce** (growling through gritted teeth while slamming two quarters onto the table in front of her): "Call a taxi. Good night."

(Bob starts to walk off)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Bob?"

(Bob freezes in place)

 **Ladyhawk** : "I'm sorry!"

(awkward pause)

 **Starforce** (coldly): "You and me both."

(He leaves without her)

* * *

(fin)


End file.
